Printing-machine



W. S GOTT. PRINTING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

Patented A131114, 1896.

I Q S Q .I mi Q S .m.\

NTTED STATES IVALTER SCOTT, OF PLAINFIELD, NEV JERSEY.

PRINTING- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,425, dated April14, 1896.

Application iiled August 26, 1895. Serial No. 560,542. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, 'WALTER SCOTT, a citi'- zen of the United States,residing at Plainiield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey,have invented an Improvement in Printing-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Printing-machines have heretofore been made by me in which there havebeen three rolls of'paper, one above the other, from' which the webshave been taken off and brought together over a longitudinal folder, andin this machine the lower press, which has printed the web that runs incontact with the surface of the longitudinal folder, has been ma'de withplate or printing cylinders that are smaller than the plate or printingcylinders in the press next above the same, the object being to obtain aproper register of the printed matter upon the webs as they pass overthe longitudinal folding-incline, notwithstanding'the fac-t that thelower web that is in contact with such longitudinal folding-incline issubjected to friction upon such incline which tends to retard, stretch,or elongate such web.

In practice I have discovered that there is a peculiar action upon thewebs passing through a printing-machine where there are three or more ofsuch webs that are brought together and folded longitudinally previousto being cut off, and this peculiar action consists in the tendency toproduce sheets of progressivelyincreasing length when running three ormore webs through the press-that is to say, if three or more webs wererun through the machine without reference to the printing, and such Webswere kept under the proper tension to operate advantageously, and suchWebs were folded longitudinally and cut olf transversely to formseparate products from the associated webs, the sheets would be ofprogressively-increasing lengths-that is to say, the web running next tothe longitudinal folderwould be the shortest and the outer or upper webthe longest and the intermediate webs of intermediate lengths; Thisappears to arise from the fact that the webs as they pass around theinclined edges of the converging folder lie one upon the other and thethickness of each under web augments the length of each upper web, andin addition the tension-rollers that draw the Web through the areassociated together to print upon three or more webs carried through themachine and brought together, folded longitudinally, and cut offtransversely as one product, the presses being constructed to print uponand forward to the folding and cutting mechanismprogressively-increasing lengths for the sheetsthat is to say, so thatthe inner sheet will be shortest and the outer sheet the longest and theintermediate sheets of intermediate lengths in order that the registerof the printed matter may correspond and the webs may be drawn throughthe machine without Yinjury by undue strain and without creasing byundue fullness.

In carrying out this invention I make the plate or printing cylinders ofthe press that prints on the web forming the inner folded sheet thesmallest in diameter, and I make the plate or printing cylinders of theupper press that prints upon the outer sheet of the folded product thelargest, and the intermediate presses with printing or plate cylindersof proportionate intermediate diameters. The types pressing upon thepaper during the printing operation tend to embed themselves, so thatthe paper `is moved along by the type-cylinders with reliability andwith the proper relative speeds.

In printing-machines where there are three or more presses one over theother I have heretofore experienced difficulty in supplying the rolls ofpaper into their proper places in the upper presses, because, as theserolls of paper are heavy and difficult to handle, it is usual to rollthem along upon the floor that corresponds in position or nearly so tothe level of the roll as introduced into the lowest press in theprinting-machine, and as these IOO rolls usually come to a definiteposition upon the floor before being passed into the machine it isdifficult to elevate these rolls to the proper places in the upperpresses. To obviate this diiculty, I provide an elevating mechanism thatis adapted to raise the rolls of paper from the lowest position to thehighest press; but as these rolls have to be handled with rapidity, anda failure in the accurate working of the apparatus is liable to cause astoppage of the entire press, I provide automatic means for receivingthe shafts of the rolls as they are raised to position. Vith this'objectin view the frame of the press is extended out to form rails thatterminate at the bearings that support the roll while the paper is beingunwound, and at the ends of these rails hinged arms are provided, whichswing upwardly by the contact therewith of the shaft or axis of the rollof paper, and they drop beneath such axis, so that the attendant simplyhas to raise the roll of paper by the lifting mechanism to the properpress where it is to be delivered, and

the hinged arms dropping beneath the shaft y of the paper roll receiveand support such paper roll as the hoisting mechanism is lowered. Bythis means the rolls of paper can be received substantiallyautomatically and supported in the respective presses ready to be rolledinto position with the end of the web of the fresh roll ready to beattached to the back end of the exhausted web, so as to be drawn throughthe press.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation showing fourpresses in a printingmachine. Fig. 2 is a diagram with measurementsindicating approximately the diameters of the printing or platecylinders in the respective presses, and Fig. 3 is a plan view showingone of the hinged arms for receiving the shaft of the paper roll.

The rolls of paper are represented as one above the other and marked,respectively, A A A2 A3. The first type-cylinders are substantially inline and marked B B B2 B3. The first impression-cylinders are indicatedat C C C2 C3 the second impression-cylinders at D, D', D-, and D3, andthe second type-cylinders at E, E', E2, and E3; and it is to beunderstood that any usual or convenient gearing is made use of fordriving the respective presses in absolute unison, and with this objectin view I find it advantageous to employ a vertical shaft at F andbeveled gears connecting such shaft with gears upon the shafts of thesecond impression-cylinders D D D2 D3, and the gearing between thecylinders of each press may be of any desired character, and the inkingapparatus being provided as usual does not require further description,and the belts or tapes that convey away the printed webs from betweenthe respective second impression-cylinders and second type-cylinders areof ordinary construction. I find it, however, advantageous to pass thewebs around the respective rolls 2, 3, Ll, and 5, and to provideadjusting-rolls G, 7, and 8 by which the webs can be adjusted withconvenience for bringing the `printed matter of the pages into registerone with the other as the same pass over the roll 9, and it is usual toprovide a roll l0, the surface of which is in line with the convergingfolder G, so that all four webs pass together down such convergingfolder G and are folded longitudinally and pass the rolls or guides IIthat are adjacent to the apex of the folding-incline, and the rolls Iserve to draw the associated webs together and along over the folder,and thus apply the tension to the same, and at K cutting-cylinders ofany de-.

sired character are provided for separating the associated webs intoseparate products.

It is to be understood that in folding the webs longitudinally the webthat comes next to the-converging folder Gr is subject to a detainingfriction that tends to stretch it, and thereby it is not drawn along asrapidly as the other webs, and by being supplied slower, in consequenceof the lowest printing-press having printing-cylinders that are slightlythe smallest, the register of the printed mattei' is maintained betweenthe lowest web and the other webs and slackness between the longitudinalfolder and the lowest press is prevented.

According to the average thickness or quality of the paper composing therespective webs, so the sizes of the type-cylinders as originallyconstructed will be proportioned. I have found that with a press of thischaraeter it is advantageous to make the type-cylinders B and E aboutone-twelfth of an inch smaller in diameter than the type-cylinders B2and E3 of the upper press and the cylinders of the intermediate pressesof proportionate diameters-that is to say, the cylinders B' 1 should beabout one thirty-sixth of an inch larger than the cylinders B and E andthe cylinders B2 E2 should be about two thirty-sixths of an inch largerthan the cylinders B and E. These measurements, however, will varyaecording to the size of sheet that is to be printed and to thecharacter and condition of the paper acted upon, the object being todeliver to the folding-molines the webs at such proportionate speedsthat the webs will draw throu gh smoothly and the printed pages willregister, and, although the edges of the sheets in the associatedproduct do not correspond accurately, this is of no consequence,especially in newspaper printing, and when a printingpress of thischaracter is employed for bookwork the differences in the sizes of thesheets is entirely immaterial, because the edges of the sheets are cutoff when the book is bound. In the diagram, Fig. 2, I have put upon thestraight lines that illustrate the diameters of the respectiveprinting-cylinders measurements to indicate approximately thedifferences in the respective diameters.

The frame of the printing-press is to be of any desired character. Ihave represented a portion thereof at L and the arms O, O', O2, and O3extend out from the frame a conven- IOO IIO

ient length for the reception of the rolls of paper, the shafts l2 beingreceived into bearings that are advantageously located adjacent to thejunction of the arms and the upright of the frame, and at the ends ofthe arms there are hinged arms 13, preferably connected by pivot-boltsla, and the arms'are provided with stops l5, that engage the frame andprevent the hinged arms swinging downwardly; but such hinged arms arefree to swing upwardly, and the outer ends of these hinged arms areturned up or hook-shaped, as shown, and at P, Ihave illustrated asuitable hoisting or elevating apparatus adapted to receive and lift therolls of paper.

In some instances the lower arms O will not be provided with hingedarms, as shown, because the floor or platform upon which the rolls ofpaper are received is at such a height that the shaft of the paper-rollwill come above the arm and the paper-roll can be rolled forward to itsproper place in the printingmachine. The elevating apparatus, of anysuitable character, is so located that when the roll of paper is liftedthe shaft or axis of the paperl will swing upwardly the hinged arms bycontact with such arms and these arms will drop automatically, andfalling below the shaft of the roll will be in a position to receivesuch shaft if the elevating apparatus is slightly lowered. In thismanner the roll of paper can be raised to either press and received bythe same automaticallyas the elevating apparatus is lowered for thereception of another roll of paper; and it is to be understood thatA theattendants roll the respective rolls of paper along into position andjoin the back end of the one web to the front end of the next web at theproper time, as heretofore usual.

It will be borne in mind that in presses of this general character thetype or printingplate is rolled up into a cylindrical segment to iit thesurface of the type-cylinder, and there are always spaces upon suchtype-cylinders between one form and the next, and these spaces will varyin the respective cylinders, so that while the plate or type forms areof uniform length peripherally the differences in the lengths of thesheets will occur at the spaces between the printed matter.

If desired, the impression-cylinders may be made to conform to the sizesof the type-cylinders; but this is not always necessary, as the blanketsusually vary in thickness.

Vhere two or more webs pass around a cylindrical surface, such as theroll 9 or l0, the outer web is moving around a cylinder with a largerradius than the inner web in consequence of the added thicknesses of thesheets upon the cylinders or rollers. The tendency therefore is to movethe outer web along faster than the inner web, and in some characters ofpresses,wl1e1'e the two or more webs are moving in substantially onedirection to a point of delivery and are laid out flat one upon theother, there is a tendency to produce an imperfect register of theprinted matter in consequence of one web being under a greater tensionthan another web where such webs pass around a roller or cylinder asthey are associated together. The aforesaid improvement, which consistsin making the cylinders of one press smaller than the cylinders ofanother press so as to counteract this tendency, is available regardlessof the mann er in which the webs are finally delivered and cut off as aproduct formed of a sheet from each web, and I do not limit myself to.any particular cylinders in the respective presses that are varied insize, so as to effect the movement of the webs and to counteract orneutralize the before-named tendency to disturb the accuracy of theregister of the printed matter.

In my application, Serial No. 536,638, heretofore filed, stationary armsare represented as extending out from the frame adjacent to theroll-bearings for receiving the shaft of the paper roll, and in myapplication, Serial No. 539,962, swinging brackets are represented forthe same purpose. I do not therefore herein lay claim, broadly, to armsor supports extending out from the roll-bearin gs for receiving theshaft of the paper roll.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination in a printing-machine adaptedto print upon three or more webs of paper, of a longitudinal folder toreceive the superposed webs and fold the same longitudinally, and meansfor drawing the Webs along over the longitudinal folder and for cuttingoff the same, three or more printingpresses each having its type andimpression cylinders, the type cylinders of the press that prints uponthe web that comes in contact with the surface of the longitudinalfolder being of less diameter than the typecylinde-rsfj that print uponthe upper or outer web anfdthe intermediate type-cylinders being ofproportionate intermediate diameters, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a printing-machine, of presses adapted to printupon three 0r more webs, a longitudinal folder and means for drawing thewebs over such folder and cutting off the associated webs, the cylindersof three presses being so proportioned in diameter as to supply theproper lengths of web to prevent wrinkling and cause the printed matterto register, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a printing-machine having two or moreprinting-presses, of a frame and arms extending out from the frame andforming supports for the shafts of the rolls of paper, and hinged armsat the ends of the stationary arms that are adapted to swing upwardly bythe contact therewith of the shaft of the paper roll, and to dropbeneath such shaft for the reception of the same, substantially as setforth.

4. The combination in a printing-machine adapted to print upon three ormore webs of paper, of a longitudinal folder to receive the IOO IIO

superposed webs and fold the same longitudinally, and means for drawingthe webs along over the longitudinal fold er and for cutting off thesame, three or more printingpresses each having its type and impressioncylinders,the cylinders of the press that prints A the shaft of thepaper roll, and to drop beneath such shaft for the reception of the sameand mechanism for elevating the roll, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in a printing-machine, of presses adapted to printupon three or more webs and means for drawing the webs through the pressand cutting oif the associated webs, the cylinders of three pressesbeing so proportioned in diameter as to supply the proper lengths of webto prevent wrinkling and cause the printed matter to register,substantially as set forth.

7. The combination in a printing-machine,

of presses adapted to print upon three or more Webs and means fordrawing the webs through the machine in substantially one di rection tothe point of delivery and for cutting off the associated webs, three ofthe presses being so proportioned in the diameters of the rollers orcylinders that act upon the webs of paper to carry the same through therespective presses, that the proper lengths of webs will be supplied tothe point of delivery, to prevent Wrinkling and to cause the printedmatter to properly register, substantially as set forth.

S. The combination in a printing-machine, of two or more presses adaptedto print upon two or more webs, a cylindrical surface around which thewebs pass as they lie one upon the other, and means for drawing alongthe Webs and cutting oif the sheets from the associated webs to formseparate products, the diameters of the cylinders in the respectivepresses being so proportioned as to supply the proper lengths of therespective webs, for maintaining the accurate register of the printedmatter and to neutralize the tendency for one web to be drawn fasterthan the other and to maintain uniformity of tension and preventwrinkling of either web, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 23d day of August, 1895.

WALTER SCOTT.

'Vitnesses GEO. T. PINCKNEY,

CHAs. H. SMITH.

